Originally published March 29 2011
Heal autism from the inside out
by Lindy Brown
(NaturalNews) Autism is a sensitive and controversial topic for many. There does not seem to be a single cause of autism and the common treatment, behavior therapy, does not deal with the underlying problems. The good news is that there is now more help for healing and/or improving the symptoms of autism with natural treatments.
Autism has recently been described as mindblindedness. It`s a neurological and developmental disorder that usually appears during the first three years of life. Each child may experience different symptoms; however, the main symptom among those affected is a lack of social awareness. They may exhibit frustrated outbursts to noise and light, and they may refuse affection. Autism occurs four times more often in boys than in girls.
It is believed that several genes are involved in the development of autism. Research studies in autism have found a variety of abnormalities in the brain structure and chemicals in the brain; however, there have been no consistent findings. One theory is that toxic overload from vaccinations and environmental toxins along with genetic factors cause autism.
In nearly all cases of autism, there are deficiencies of amino acids, vitamins and/or minerals and symptoms of toxic overload. So, there are many things parents and professionals can do to help heal and/or improve symptoms. Many people have claimed their children experience huge improvements through detoxing along with a casein and gluten free diet.
Last November, Cornell University researchers published a study in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine showing that children in rainy (and therefore more overcast) counties of Oregon, Washington and California were two times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than their counterparts in drier parts of the state. "Our research is sufficiently suggestive of an environmental trigger for autism associated with precipitation, of which vitamin D deficiency is one possibility," says study co-author Michael Waldman, a professor of management and economics at Cornell`s Johnson Graduate School of Management.
Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism has reportedly led to improvements in the condition. Hyperbaric therapy usually involves inhaling up to 100% oxygen at a pressure greater than 1 atmosphere (atm) in a pressurized chamber. A highly trained professional is required for supervision. Dr. Daniel A. Rossignol of the International Child Development Resource Center in Melbourne, FL led a small, formal study to see if hyperbaric treatment was a valid treatment. Researchers reported that 30 percent of the children who received the treatment greatly increased functioning.
According to Michael A. Gruttadauria, DC, DACAN, a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist at the Long Island Spectrum Center, there are lots of ways to help children with autism. Gruttadauria believes the first thing parents should do is get a knowledgeable health care professional that will be aggressive. He believes that increasing overall nutritional levels through food and vitamins as well as adding a probiotic for gastro-intestinal upsets will help a lot. He also believes it`s important to decrease levels of home environmental toxins and potential food allergens like wheat, dairy and sugar.
There is hope for children with autism. Many things like detoxing and increasing nutritional levels are things parents can do now to help improve their child`s symptoms. Never give up!
Clark JH, Rhoden DK, and Turner DS. (1993). Symptomatic vitamin A and D deficiencies in an eight-year-old with autism. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr, 17(3), pp. 284-286.
Levy SE. et al. (2007). Relationship of dietary intake to gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autistic spectrum disorders. Biol Psychiatry, 61(4), pp. 492-497.
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About the author
Lindy Brown is a freelance writer, editor and photographer. She is also the mother of two and is passionate about natural health and outdoor fitness. Her expertise is in healing foods. She continually looks for natural ways to help heal and strengthen the body in order to keep her family healthy and to share her knowledge with others. She and her husband have their own online, outdoor health magazine at www.outdoorgulfcoast.com You can also find her at www.gulfcoastediting.com
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